Tube handling apparatus



Dec. 18, 1934.

J W. OFFUTT TUBE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l lnueizlor:

JOHN W. OFFL/T ///5 fife/ways.

D90 1934- J. w. OFFUTT TUBE HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1935 Dec. 18, 1934.

J. w. O FFUTT TUBE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [meal or JOHN W. OFFUTT,

BEN

Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,984,756 runs HANDLING APPARATUS John w. mm, Ellwood City,

Pa., assignor to National Tube Company, a corporation of Jersey Application December 29', 1933, Serial No. 704.569

40mm. (Cl. 205 3) This invention relates to a tube handling apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for the handling of tubes at a draw-bench prior to a cold drawing operation.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a novel tube handling apparatus such as will enable tubes to be more quickly posi-' tioned over mandrels and mandrel rods prior to their being processed. C

This and other'objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of the the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of part of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a side Figure 3. v

Figure 5 is a plan of a modified form of the invention. 5

Figure 6 is a side elevation of tion of Figure 5.

, Figure 7 is an end view on the line VII- VII of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly. to the drawings,

elevation of the apparatus of the modificathe numeral 2 designates a conventional tube drawing bench having the usual head 3 in which various dies are placed for ,tube drawing operations. A support 4 at one end of the tube drawing bench 2 is adapted to support a mandrel rod 5 in such manner as to enable it to be moved laterally, but to restrict its forward longitudinal movement.

A mandrel 6 is positioned on the free end of the mandrel 5 for assuming a position immediatelyin the pass of a suitable die in the head 3.

The usual draw chain 7 is mounted adjacent the die head 3 on its side opposite from port 4 and adapted for movement to enable its cooperating plier carriagev 8 to grip a tube disposed over the mandrel rod 5 and mandrel 6 and draw it through thedie'.

In accordance with theteaching of the invention, a plurality of vertical supports 9 are ar ranged in a position closely paralleling the longitudinal axis of thetube drawing bench 2, and are each provided with a rotatable roll l'o. I The rotatable rolls 10 are positioned,on the vertical supports 9 in such manner as to be progressively inclined from the die and down the. length of the draw chain 7, and are each provided with a helical groove 12. The ends of the roll 10 which are nearest the draw-bench 2 are machined to provide spindles 13, on each of which adjacent vertical supports 9.

novel apparatus of a and offset from the shaft 26. The ends of this the sup-,

a roll 14 is loosely mounted. A motor 15 is,dis posed relatively adjacent the die head 3 for driving a transmission unit 16 through a con--v pling- 17. The transmission unit 16 drives a shaft 18 through a coupling 19. A worm 20 is 5 mounted on the shaft 18 for each of the rolls 10, which are driven through individual worm gears 21. A stop plate 23 is diagonally disposed between the die head 3 and the first of the m The vertical support 9 which is farthest from the die head 3 is provided with a freely rotating cylinder 24 in lieu of a hellcally corrugated roll 10.

A support 25 is secured to the tube drawing 15 bench 2 and extends over the die head 3. A shaft 26 is journaled on the support 25 and made to extend therefrom. A grooved roll 2'1 is se-' cured to the extended end of the shaft 26. A coupling 28 issecured to the other end of the shaft 26 and to the driven element of a transmission unit '29, which is'driven from an adjacently disposed motor 30 through a coupling 31. A shaft 32 is journaled on the support 25, above shaft also extend from the support 25 and one of them carries a link 33 on which there is mounted an idle roll 34. A bell crank lever 39 is secured to the mid-portion of the shaft 32, and connected on one of its ends to a rod 40 30 which is adapted to slide through an apertured stop 41 on the support 25. A spring 42 is positioned on the free end of the rod 40 and-provided with a washer 43 and compression adjusting screw 44, the latter being locked in position by means of a lock nut 45. g

A fluid cylinder 46 is secured to the uppermost end of the support 25 and provided with the usual piston rod 4'7. :The piston rod- 4'] is connected to the other end of the bell crank lever 40 39, as at 48. A control valve (not shown) is positioned. adjacent the die head 3 on its side opposite the motor 30 for actuatin the fluid cylinder 46.

An arm 49 is secured to the end of the shaft 32 which is remote from the link 33 and adapted to operate an adjacently mounted switch 50 having a push button 51. Theswitch 50 actuates the motor 30. through a wiring circuit 52 which 50 tially rotate the shaft 32.

bed 56 is supported by the vertical supports 9 and stationary rests 55, and provided with a plurality of journaled shafts 57 on each of which there is secured a roller 58 and at least one sprocket 59.

A motor 60 is disposed beneath the bed 56 and provided with a coupling 61 through which it drives a transmission unit 62. The driven shaft of the transmission unit 62 is provided with a sprocket 63 which is connected to the various sprockets 59 on the shafts 57 through a chain linkage system, as shown at 64.

In operation, a bundle of tubes, which have been properly prepared for cold drawing, is placed by an overhead crane on the helically grooved rolls 10 and the freely rotatable cylinder 24, which are supported by the vertical supports 9. In this position, the longitudinal axis of the tubes will be at right angles to the axes of the rolls 10, and as the chains or cables of the overhead crane are moved the tubes will spread out along the rolls.

The operator takes a position adjacent the die head 3 of the tube drawing bench and on its side opposite the motor 30, and operates a conveniently disposed switch (not shown) for starting the motor 15, which rotates the rolls l0 in a counterclockwise direction. Regardless of the position of the tubes after they have spread out on the rolls 10, they are caused to move longitudinally until stopped by the guide plate 23, which is adjacent the die head 3. The guide plate prevents their further longitudinal move-- ment except as permitted by the diagonal disposition of its surface, and this allows the helical grooves 12 of the rolls to move the tubes laterally toward the tube drawing bench 2. Due to the progressively inclined axes of the rolls 10, and the diagonal disposition of the guide plate 23, the tubes continue to move until they are relatively adjacent the die head 3. The operator then discontinues the operation of the motor 15, and rolls the tubes by hand onto the grooved roll 27 on the support 25.

The mandrel rod 5 and the mandrel 6 are then placed in the open end of a tube and the valve (not shown) for supplying fluid to the cylinder 46 is operated. This causes the idle roll 34 to hold the tube in close contact with the power actuated roll 27. Simultaneously with the actuation of the fluid cylinder d6, the lever 49, on the shaft 32, will depress the push button 51, of the switch 50, and actuate the motor 30 to rotate the shaft 26 on which the power driven roll 27 is mounted.

As the roll 2'? rotates, the tube will be moved over the mandrel and mandrel rod, after which it will fall by gravity down onto the bed of the tube drawing bench 2. continues the actuation of the fiuid cylinder through the valve (not shown) which permits the rod 4'? to withdraw the lever 43 and par- The partial rotation of the shaft 32, in a clockwise direction, permits the push button 51 to assume its extended position and break the circuit to the motor 30.

As the tube being drawn is moved through the die by the chain '7 and plier carriage 8, which grips its pointed end, the operator again actuates the motor 15 through the suitable switch mentioned and thus positions another tube adjacent the idle rollers 14 on the ends of the helically grooved rolls 10, prior to moving it by hand into contact with the grooved roll 27, for succeeding operations.

ess

The operator then dis In the modification disclosed in Figures 5 and 6, the operation is similar to that previously described, except that the tubes are moved by hand across the stationary rests 55 and placed on the power driven rollers 58, which are driven through the chain 64 by the motor 60, which is operated in substantially the same manner as the motor 15 for the helically grooved rolls In practicing either form of the invention, the operating capacity of a draw-bench is greatly increased, and requires but little effort on the part of a single operator.

While I have shown and described several specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the following claims.

I' claim:

1. In combination with a tube drawing bench, a die, a mandrel rod for supporting a mandrel in the pass of said die, a plurality of helically grooved rolls mounted in progressively higher planes adjacent the chain of said tube drawing bench, the axes of said rolls being at substantial right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bench, a power actuated roll adjacent said die, a movable idle roll mounted above said last named roll, means for moving said idle roll towards said power actuated roll, and means for rotating said first named rolls.

2. Incombination with a tube drawing bench, a die, a mandrel rod for supporting a mandrel in the pass of said die, a stand disposed adjacent the chain of said tube drawing bench, a plurality of helically grooved rolls mounted on said stand in progressively higher planes, the axes of said rolls being at substantial right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe bench, a freely rotatable idle roll on the ends of each of said helically grooved rolls which are nearest said tube drawing bench, and means for rotating said helically grooved rolls.

3. In combination with a tube drawing bench, a die, a mandrel rod for supporting a mandrel in the pass of said die, a stand disposed adjacent the chain of said tube drawing bench, a plurality of helically grooved rolls mounted on said stand in progressively higher planes, the axes of said rolls being at substantial right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bench, a freely rotatable idle roll on the ends of each of said helically grooved rolls which are nearest said tube drawing bench, means for rotating said helically grooved rolls, and a guide plate extending from adjacent said die to the nearest end of said stand.

4. In combination with a tube drawing bench,

a die, a mandrel rod for supporting a mandrel 

